When in Rome…
Day 2 - Sunday, 13th February 2022
No rest for the wicked; an early start to see more of Rome…
Our first early start to our stay in Rome. Up at 7.30a.m. for breakfast in the hotel, then a nice half hour walk to our first stop of the day. We arrived at Mamertine Prison a little earlier than our allocated time slot, so we spent a few minutes taking in the view of the Roman Forum from just outside the entrance of the prison.
Once inside the prison, both receptionists were bright and pleasant towards us, and even gave us more information pertaining to the other sights that were included in our tickets. We were particularly looking forward to seeing the prison after doing some reading, and seeing that the recommended time was approximately an hour or two. Given that the prison dates back to the 7th century, we expected a lot more than we got.
We were in the prison for barely 30 minutes, and most of the exhibit that was on show was a collection of bones, pottery fragments, and seeds found in an archeological dig in the area. Downstairs was an altar, seen in the gallery above, and below that was what seemed to be one of the cells. Most of my interest was captured by the sculptures and architecture of the exterior of the prison rather than what was inside.
However, if we were to return to Rome again, I would definitely make an attempt at revisiting the prison again. Perhaps parts of the prison were closed off due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time.
Our next sight was the famous Colosseum, but our slot was still an hour and a half away. With plenty of time to kill, we took our time walking along the Via dei Fori Imperiali. Thankfully, this road was closed off to traffic during our stay and we could enjoy taking in some of the Trajan Forum and the sculptures of previous Emperors along the roadside, and some street artists as we drew closer to the Colosseum.
Finally, we reached our next spot with just half an hour to rest and wait for our slot. We made our way through security and COVID checks promptly and soon enough we were on our way again.
It’s safe to say the sight of the Colosseum from outside was incredibly imposing, the size and scale indescribable. Inside it seemed even larger, if at all possible. Ours was a self-guided tour which allowed us all the time we wanted to see the exhibits around the walkways of the Colosseum.
Completed in 80AD, the Colosseum could hold between 50-80 thousand spectators for several different events during its history. Roughly 400,000 lives were lost during the 400 year long usage of the Colosseum, as well as almost one million animals killed.
We spent roughly two hours walking around the Colosseum at our own pace. With spectacular views over the Colosseum floor and even views outside the Colosseum, this ancient and historic site was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for me.
An absolute must for any visit to Rome, of course.
The Arch of Constantine.
Our next stop was right next door to the Colosseum; the Roman Forum.
Once the heart of the day-to-day government business of Ancient Rome, most of the buildings are in fairly well-preserved ruins now. The scene of many public trials, speeches, and even a few gladiatorial matches, the Forum is nestled between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills. Many of Rome’s oldest structures are located within the Forum, each more impressive to view than the previous.
Again, we opted for a self-guided tour which allowed us as much time and freedom as we wanted to explore the Forum before moving on to Palatine Hill almost an hour after we first entered the Forum grounds.
Palatine Hill, the most central of Rome’s seven hills, is mostly an open-air museum today. With breathtaking views over the Circus Maximus and Rome itself, our disappointment with the prison was long forgotten about now.
It was particularly surreal to stand amongst these ruins, admiring just how well preserved they really were considering their ages. Almost 2,000 years of history still standing before you, surrounding you, hiding in every corner you just happened to look. You could still feel the buzz and the electricity of the ancient city life that thrived in the Forum and on Palatine Hill.
After a long and enjoyable day exploring some of Ancient Rome’s most famous sites, we headed back along the Via dei Fori Imperiali for the Liverpool match and a bite to eat at Scholars Irish Pub.
After all, it’s not a holiday unless you find a good Irish pub on your travels!
